Bayer developing new rice varieties

In line with the government’s rice self-sufficiency program, Germany’s Bayer Bioscience will soon locally develop new hybrid rice varieties that match both farmer and consumer preference.

In a statement, Bayer Bioscience said it is ready to launch this year its latest hybrid rice variety named Arize H64.

The variant, which was developed locally, has higher rice and milling recovery with a shorter maturity of about 100 to 105 days. Grains of Arize H64 are long and slender with moderate aroma.

The superiority of Bayer’s Arize Bigante hybrid seeds has made it the top choice of rice farmers in Sorsogon and Camarines Sur during the last dry season.

In the provincial search for the highest rice yielders in Camarines Sur, 60 percent of the 22 top yielder-farmers who joined the search planted the Arize Bigante hybrid seed variety.

A total of 308 cavans of Arize Bigante rice was harvested from a one-hectare farm in Bula, Camarines Sur while about 76 percent of the 17 top yielders in Sorsogon were also Arize Bigante farmers.

In the two provinces, Arize Bigante consistently outperformed three other hybrid varieties planted in terms of yield during the search.

According to Stephane Pouzadoux, Bayer Bioscience manager, "the experience of Bicol farmers proves the ability of Arize Bigante hybrid seed to significantly increase the income of farmers and boost the Philippines’ bid to become self-sufficient in rice."

Hybrid rice has the potential of yielding up to 35 percent or more than the inbred variety grown under similar conditions.

Arize Bigante is one of the more preferred hybrid rice variety by Filipino rice farmers as it has excellent genetic purity and germination rate and consistently outperformed inbred and other hybrid varieties.

It presents excellent grain, cooking, aromatic and taste qualities which are competitive to current market standards.

Arize Bigante is planted in most parts of the Philippines, in both wet and dry seasons. It has a unique ability to tolerate the dreaded Bacterial Leaf Blight (BLB) which is more common during rainy season and can significantly reduce yield.

It has a consistent average yield of eight metric tons per hectare and even demonstrated a potential 17 metric tons per hectare yield in San Jose, Nueva Ecija in 2005.